Michael Phelps Apologizes For Smoking Pot

In a statement released to The Associated Press, Phelps said, “I engaged in behavior which was regrettable and demonstrated bad judgment. I’m 23 years old and despite the successes I’ve had in the pool, I acted in a youthful and inappropriate way, not in a manner people have come to expect from me. For this, I am sorry. I promise my fans and the public it will not happen again.”

Yesterday, UK tabloid News of the World published the bong picture of the swimmer, who won a record eight gold medals at the Beijing Games.

No word on whether or not Phelps has been released from his multi-million dollar endorsement deals.

SECOND!!
i hope he wont do it again!!
i can’t imagine what the family is feeling

slambang

Puh-leeze. There are far worse things he could have been caught doing. So, he’s not perfect, big deal!

mspin

i knew that as him…IDIOT.

cutie

Apology accepted. Still a fan. :-)

Jasmine

whoa. when did this happen?
:-0

steve

Honestly, who gives a fuck? I understand his publicist probably made him do this, but there is really no need to apologize for this. Smoking marijuana is hardly a big deal in our society today. It would have been a much bigger deal if he were drinking and driving or something.

Tiffany

Steve, he drank and drove after his first olympics, so his track record aint that good.

Kelly

Wow.

Tiffany

And yeah he does need to apologize for this because he is a “role model” for millions of kids. It’s not like Michael Phelps is a nobody…do you want 8 year olds smoking from a bong??? Geesh

T

i love how people blames it on being 23 as if being 23 is the same is being 15., there’s 50 year olds who smoke, you’re more than old enough to be responsible for the decision at 23.

Rattlesnake

Maybe he puffed before he swam and that gave him great focus…. and maybe they will introduce puffing into the swim trainers manual now ! I know i will start puffing now…. it will make me great at whatever i do….

damn why haven’t i been puffing all these years ;(

dundies

lol okay ug this guy is getting on my nerves

katie

Why does it matter what he does in his personal life? It’s not like he’s an addict. He’s 23 for god’s sake! Let him live his life. It’s not like it was used to enhance his performance… geez….

susan

moron

sillyme

We have to forgive him. After all, our new president just appointed two people to two of the highest offices in the land who are tax cheats.

Sarah

so let me get this straight..we can have movies like Pineapple Express playing all aorund the world and people loving it, but an adult can’t smoke pot. Geeze people put such a high standard for celebritys when there are much more serious thing happening in the world

jen

oh my god he’s 23 years old he can do whatever he wants
and of course he’s not goint to stop smoking duh

I still love michael and I don’t care if he smokes marijuana. It’s not like he’s a Disney kid !!!

bella

LOL . . he is only apologizing because he got caught. He is not sorry, just sorry he got caught. I personally don’t care what he does. I agree with comment #12.

Actually

Clarification: He’s sorry he got caught smoking pot.

Jaz

what an idiot. i don’t think smoking marijuana is bad, but he’s an athlete. that cant be good for his speed and endurance.
so for that, hes a dumb ass.

bobszibb

So what!!! He worked hard for his medals!!! He can smoke if he wants to!

aime

offcourse his is only saying he is sorry, cause he is afraid to loose everything he has.

what a hypocrit.

always the same thing with celebs, when they get caught.

why cant he say, i did it, enjoyed it and maybe will do it again.

cause if he didnt get caught, he wouldnt say he is sorry and he would do it again. trust me

salma

damn i hate this guy he’s so ugly and take himself tooo seriously plus i don’t give a shit if he smokes everybody smoke why all the fuss!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!??????????????

aae

Tiffany @ 02/01/2009 at 2:56 pm And yeah he does need to apologize for this because he is a “role model” for millions of kids. It’s not like Michael Phelps is a nobody…do you want 8 year olds smoking from a bong??? Geesh

———

i hope an 8 year old doesnt think he can do things that older people do.
if so, then really something wrong with their parents. cause they should teach them early on, that if they see grown people doing certain things, that doesnt mean a kid can do it.

and really. do you believe that an 8 year old will get his hands on pot?

some people??? do you think before you write?

ella

Tiffany @ 02/01/2009 at 2:56 pm And yeah he does need to apologize for this because he is a “role model” for millions of kids. It’s not like Michael Phelps is a nobody…do you want 8 year olds smoking from a bong??? Geesh

———

i hope an 8 year old doesnt think he can do things that older people do.
if so, then really something wrong with their parents. cause they should teach them early on, that if they see grown people doing certain things, that doesnt mean a kid can do it.

and really. do you believe that an 8 year old will get his hands on pot?

some people??? do you think before you write

justin

I cant belive the public made him apologize, its pot, who cares, hes hurting no one…people in america are so damn conservative. Pots not even bad for you.

to tiffany

And yeah he does need to apologize for this because he is a “role model” for millions of kids. It’s not like Michael Phelps is a nobody…do you want 8 year olds smoking from a bong??? Geesh
_____________________________________________________
oh please!! what is with americans? they all freak out because someone smokes pot. the guy was photographed bonging; so what?? hate to tell you this, but in other parts of the world it’s no big deal. here in the netherlands everyone does it.but if you want to turn this in to the crime of century please be my guest.

Hahahaha

I hopehe gets released fromhis endorsements so I wont have to look at his fugly mug. He looks like Sloth. urrrerrhrrrrrhhhhh

AW

He made a bad business move. If you are going to smoke pot, make sure there aren’t any cameras. This could cost him mega bucks in endorsements!

lollipop

Try this for an American. I don’t give a sh*t! If he wants to smoke dope, let him. Not my problem and I sure as h*ll don’t need an apology.

Beth

Please who cares, its just pot, if it was coke or sumthin else we would understand, d media is so full of shit and no i do not think he is going to get dropped from his endorsements, am quite sure he would still be able to participate in the olympics as well.

Surfer

To all that say he doesn’t need to apologize because it’s only dope and who care, you all missing the point.

Olympic rules are that you can be banned for an drug use (including some prescription). Yes, people will forgive him but his main problem are the rules (which all athletes are aware of) and possibly losing his endorsements are his real problems.

verity

@ justin (#29): Actually pot is bad for you. Anything that requires you inhaling smoke is bad for you. Is it any worse than tobacco cigarettes or alcohol? From what I’ve heard, no. But please don’t confuse that, with it not being bad for you.

wow

over it. honestly, there are bigger things going on in this wolrd than some 23 year old tokin up. honestly, people.

and i totally agree with 19. well said.

malory

i personally don’t care if he smokes weed or drinks alcohol…I think we all have our issues. What I do believe is that he should be more careful, and not so carefree. From what I understand, there is a firm “no drug” policy for the athletes who want to participate in upcoming olympics, and that just might’ve shot his chances. Not to mention his endorsments could be out the window. He just needs to think a little better while making “going out” decisions

gay maybe?

Why is talent wasted on the youth???

sam

He should’t have to apologize for something that so many people are doing/have done/tried. It’s sad really. He wins so many gold medals for his country, works his ass off, and then has to apologize cus he hit a bong.

Twifanatic Amanda

haha, using his age as an excuse is way lame

drunkabella

needs to go back in the water where he belongs.
dumbass.

connie

this is the michael that people looked up during the course of the olympics. for him to own up to his actions, i think its great. good for him. i’m glad he didn’t try to hide it.

Mary

Hopefully, Michael can handle the success that is behind him and any that is ahead despite the fact he is (only) 23 years of age and missed out on some important developmental cycles while focused completely on swimming. Also, ADHD folks need to be very careful regarding lineage addiction and/or addiction due to Ritalin if it was administered to them growing up….a lot of those kids are now addicted to substance.

Most kids are experimenting with marijuana on a daily basis and, yes, it can lead to other drugs. When you hear your 21-year-old (young adult) coughing in the middle of the night as the lungs are attempting to purge the smoke inhaled at a party, it sickens you as a parent to hear it.

Just like any other drug, most people need professional help when going through a healthy marijuana withdrawal process and, especially, athletes as when they exercise it triggers a point in the brain that creates the desire for more marijuana.

You can be certain the drug police will be all over Michael Phelps from here on out so, hopefully, he does really well during his next Olympics competition as one can only imagine what will be all over the media. Look at what Lance Armstrong has endured regarding accusations regarding performance-enhancing drugs.

There’s no better high than the one obtained in meditation and/or physical activity.

abby

Becoming a celebrity after winning 8 golds medals swiming went to his head !
this is so sad so many young kids looked up to him after the Olympic

Jijna

Well he had to apologise because it was a poor judgement on his part and shows he is a flawed idol…he also got stopped for DUI a few years back. Apart from being a great swimmer, he’s clearly a bit of an idiot.

Ant

who the fuck cares its and organic drug that grows from the ground and when you happen to apply fire to it, you feel some interesting side effects

fake rack

30 you do know that it was News if the world from the UK that made a big deal about it right? but go right ahead and blame it on the americans as that is the trendy thing to do.

Jaye

Yes he is an adult and can do what he wants, but not if he wants to keep his endorsements. Like it or not companies do not want to see their representatives in what they perceive as a bad light. I’m sure from here on Phelps will keep his use of weed out of sight. He didn’t just start smoking weed when that picture was taken.

lo

Who cares? Good for him, I say. Better than blowing lines of coke or using steroids, like most famous people / athletes.